Electronic Recording Request
Request Your Court Hearing be Electronically Recorded
The Superior Court of California, County of Santa Cruz is implementing a recent California Supreme Court decision that clarifies when a party may request an electronic recording (ER) of a court hearing.
You may be eligible to request an electronic recording if all the following conditions are met:
1. You Request the Recording
The court will not automatically create an electronic recording. You must formally request at the beginning of the hearing that it be electronically recorded.
2. The Court Determines You Are Unable to Afford a Court Reporter
The judge must find that you are unable to afford the cost of hiring a private court reporter. For reference, current rates for private court reporters in Santa Cruz County are approximately $850-$2,000.
3. Your Case Type Is Eligible
Electronic recording (ER) is already being used in civil limited, misdemeanor, and traffic cases. Now ER may be available in certain case types, including:
- Family law
- Child support (DCSS) matters
- Restraining order proceedings
- Civil cases (Unlimited)
- Probate cases
4. No Court Reporter Is Provided by the Court
The court must determine that a court-provided court reporter is not available for your hearing.
Important Information
If your hearing is electronically recorded, additional steps may be required if you later need an official record of the proceeding. These steps may include:
- Paying any applicable fees for the electronic recording; and
- Obtaining and paying for a written transcript of the recording when needed.
Meeting the above criteria does not automatically guarantee an electronic recording. The court will determine eligibility based on the circumstances of each case.